Archive for August, 2008

Published
August 22nd, 2008 by
Mliesie

The old, Chinese kitchen cabinet that contained too much food…. is gone; the big table with the cheerful tablecloth, at wich we had so many great dinners with lots of laughter, serious talks and sometimes tears….is gone; the posters on the wall, with impressions of Holland… are gone; the pictures I took during my travels in China and which I showed off on my walls… are gone; most of my plants, that made my house a home… are gone; the bookshelves in the bookcase are half empty; my wardrobe is empty, but for the clothes I need for my departure.

My last few days in Yulin were full; full with visits to the YWI, full with visits to various fosterparents, full with lunches and dinners with people I care about, full with odd jobs to make time pass and keep my mind off tomorrow’s goodbye. My travel bags are full and my heart is full with all that has happened to me in the past two years, full of all the impressions that China has left with me, full…… with tears, but also a lot of happiness and joy. There is so much I leave behind, which means there is also so much to go back to. One of my students said in his goodbye letter: ‘ The earth is round, so we will definitely meet again!’ That’s a nice way to say it, I think.

Tonight the house will be full again, with many of my students who come to say goodbye, with some of my colleagues, who come to say goodbye, with so many people I care about, and who, unbelievably, also seem to care about me. More memories to take home, more reasons to come back again!